GFF Invests in Lake County School District Turnaround Effort

In 2014, the Foundation’s trustees approved funding to support the Lake County School District’s (LCSD) school improvement efforts. Of LCSD’s 1,100 students, 73% qualify for free and reduced lunch and 35% are English Language Learners. The school district is facing loss of accreditation with the State of Colorado unless it can show substantial improvement in academic outcomes for students. The support from the Foundation will be spread out over four years and will go directly to education organizations assisting LCSD in implementing its strategic vision for improving schools. These supports include professional development for teachers, school leaders and the superintendent, recruitment of highly qualified teachers, and resources for the Board of Education to improve governance. In addition to supporting LCSD schools, the Foundation hopes the efforts in Lake County will inform work across the state for how to improve rural schools. For more information about this reform effort in Lake County, see the archived article in Chalkbeat Colorado.